


Kill, Die, Be Born

by Diary



Category: The Brothers Bloom (2008)
Genre: Ambiguity, Bechdel Test Fail, Canon Character of Color, Conversations, F/M, Family, Interracial Relationship, Minor Bloom/Penelope Stamp
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-30
Updated: 2016-05-30
Packaged: 2018-07-11 03:40:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 560
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7027021
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Diary/pseuds/Diary
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There are no more stories of an arrogant, cocky conman with a streak of luck leading his brother and occasionally leaving explosions and arson in the aftermath of his notebook-drawn plans. Complete.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Kill, Die, Be Born

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own The Brothers Bloom.

Bang Bang blows up their rental house.

“This is getting out of hand, Stephen,” Bloom says.

Giving a small sigh, Stephen shrugs. “It’s just a phase.”

“A phase? Stephen, there are laws containing the word ‘terror’ against what she’s doing!”

“Alright, I’ll talk to her, okay? Make it clear that, if she gets caught, she’s on her own.”

“She’d just blow up the jail,” Bloom points out.

“The police aren’t the only ones who might catch her," Stephen quietly says.

Bloom doesn’t have a response to this.

…

Bang Bang is lying in the middle of a field when Stephen finds her.

He sits down. “What’s going on, Bang Bang? This isn’t like you. You’re an artist. All these latest explosions, there’s no beauty or real meaning behind them.”

A notebook hits him in the face.

Rubbing his nose, he picks it up. “Oh.” Opening it to find a certain set of papers are still inside, he comments, “Guess I should have done a better job at hiding it.”

The unnatural silence grows.

Letting out a small sound, he hesitantly reaches over and places his hand on top of her forehead.

She jerks away.

He moves the hand back to his lap. “Look, Bang Bang- aside from what you’d do to me if you ever found out I did, I’ve made the choice to never lie to you. You have always known exactly where you stood with me.”

Turning her head slightly, she looks up at him.

“If it means anything, I’m sorry,” he says. “I’m not going to change, though. Not even for Bloom would I. But if there’s something else I can do-”

He waits.

Getting up, she disappears through the tall grains.

…

Six months after Bang Bang left, Bloom goes to Stephen’s room one morning and finds her curled up against Stephen.

He goes to get a third cup of coffee.

…

When Penelope Stamp comes into the picture, Stephen puts his hand on the railing of a moving train and slides it over until it’s pressed against Bang Bang’s. “I need to know: Are you and I good? Okay?”

Her pinkie interlocks with his, and when he looks over, she smirks, makes a finger gun with the other hand, and a small noise fills the air.

He sighs. “Thank you.”

Nodding, she unlocks their pinkies, reaches up, and trails her finger over his nose before heading back inside.

…

Stephen Bloom dies, and his brother cries.

A person who is, in many ways, a young girl dies, and in her place, a woman is born.

This is who Stephen Bloom sees when he opens his eyes. “I thought I could trust you,” he says.

When he gets well enough, she takes him, unseen, to see his brother.

She waits, and finally, he exhales. Leaning over, he places a gentle kiss on her lips. Then, pressing an empty notebook into her hands, he says, “It’s time for you to lead. Where to next?”

…

There are stories of ghosts, mischievous travellers who destroy bad people and occasionally help good ones, one of whom talks endlessly but only certain people ever remember his words and one of whom is unnervingly silent.

There are no more stories of an arrogant, cocky conman with a streak of luck leading his brother and occasionally leaving explosions and arson in the aftermath of his notebook-drawn plans.


End file.
